Learning Competency: Distinguishes between and among techniques in selecting and organizing information

a. Brainstorming list
b. Graphic organizer
c. Topic outline
d. Sentence outline

Organizing Information Through Graphic Organizers*

Objective
Once you have chosen your topic and made a thesis statement, what information will you include in your writing? 

How will you structure your ideas in your writing?

Which ideas should you present first when you begin writing?

Let's Review!
You begin the process of writing by generating topics. One way of generating topics is brainstorming where you think
of any topic and jot down as many ideas about it as you can. Later on, you narrow the topic down and select the main
idea that you can develop in your writing.

Once you have chosen the topic for writing, you determine the audience and purpose. Based on these you decide on
the details to include and the language to use in your writing.

After determining the audience and purpose, you make the thesis statement, a sentence that tells the main idea of
your writing. Then you gather information to support the main idea.

To select and organize the information that you gather, you make an outline, a list of the most important parts of your
writing.

Learn about it!

Sentence Outline
A way of selecting and organizing information is through a sentence outline. Like a topic outline, a sentence outline
consists of headings and subheadings. However, unlike a topic outline which consists of words, phrases, or fragments,
a sentence outline presents the main and supporting ideas in complete sentences.

Example:

A sentence outline is particularly useful when you are discussing a complex topic because it gives a clearer idea of
exactly what each paragraph or section will contain. Also, it develops your critical thinking as it allows you to think
through ideas completely in order to write them in full sentences.
Headings
The headings of a sentence outline are the main points that support your thesis statement. Stated in full sentences,
the headings tell what your paragraphs will be about. They are usually designated by Roman numerals (I, II, III...)
followed by a period.

Example:

Explanation:
The sentence outline shows the sequence in which the writer will tackle the topic. The thesis statement will be
supported by three main points (the headings). The first point focuses on destructive technologies that cause pollution,
the second on environment-friendly technologies that can reduce pollution, and the third on how people’s
commitment to save the environment can eradicate pollution.

Subheadings
Under the headings are the subheadings. These are the supporting details of your main points. Like the main points,
they should be stated in complete sentences in a sentence outline.

The subheadings are usually marked by the uppercase or capital letters (followed by a period) arranged in sequence
and relative importance.

Example:

Explanation:
The sentence outline shows two supporting ideas (subheadings) for each main point, and the ideas are specific and
concrete. For example, the supporting ideas of the first main point mention the destructive technologies that cause
pollution, namely, the motor vehicles and the factories.
Sub-Subheadings
An outline for a long piece of writing like a research paper can have more than two levels or divisions. The levels or
divisions under the subheadings are called sub-subheadings. These are usually marked by Hindu-Arabic numerals (1,
2, 3) and lowercase letters (a, b, c).

Example:

Typically, there are at least two subheadings under each heading or two sub-subheadings under each subheading.

Summary
A sentence outline presents the main ideas and minor details of a piece of writing in complete sentences. It consists
of headings, the main points that support the thesis statement, and subheadings, the supporting details of the main
points. The headings are usually designated by Roman numerals, while the subheadings are marked by uppercase or
capital letters. The sentence outline for a longer piece of writing can have sub-subheadings, the levels or divisions
under the subheading. They are usually marked by Arabic numerals and lowercase letters.